$31M allocated to speed Forsyth County road projects

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — As pressure grows for officials to address motorists’ traffic concerns, the Forsyth County Commission gave approval to use $31 million, including dipping into reserves, to complete two major road projects.

At their Oct. 22 work session, commissioners approved 5-0 to fast track the widening of Union Hill and Mullinax roads in South Forsyth and widening portions in the north and south of Old Atlanta Road.

County Finance Director David Gruen said the projects would all be covered under the 1-percent special purpose local option sales tax program known as SPLOST.

Gruen said there are $15 million available through the sixth round of SPLOST that can be used for the road projects, while $12 million would be an advance from county reserves. Another $4 million will be drawn from the current round of SPLOST. The advance would be paid back as tax money rolls into county coffers in the next few years.

The road widening is expected to be completed by mid-2016.

Commissioners Brian Tam and Cindy Jones Mills asked to include Castleberry Road in the list, but Commissioner Todd Levent argued the traffic is just not there yet to justify making the road into a four-lane road.

Tam said Castleberry Road is dangerous, crash-riddled and in the past five years, there have been five fatalities.

County Engineer John Cunard said Castleberry Road is ready to go and right-of-way has all been acquired. All he needs is commissioners to let him know they are ready to move forward.

On Oct. 30, a traffic summit event will take place at 11:30 a.m. at the Forsyth Conference Center, 3410 Ronald Reagan Boulevard to hear from local transportation authorities. Check out next week’s Forsyth Herald for coverage.